Chapter 165 A Stirring Tension
As the minutes ticked by, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
Winona Sullivan's gaze flickered between the two men, her stance ready for confrontation. "Can't you feel the tension in the air?" she asked, her tone dismissive. "It's merely a stomachache, not a grave injury that requires immediate attention." Her gaze shifted to the nightstand. "Put it down," she commanded.
Justin's eyes darted between Zachary Bailey and Matthew Watson, his expression one of confusion. To any ordinary observer with a standard appreciation of attractiveness, it was puzzling why these two men, who were clearly not lacking in female attention, were so fixated on his cousin. Perhaps the tastes of a CEO were different from the norm?
After inquiring about her discharge date from the doctor, Winona Sullivan dismissed everyone, including Zachary Bailey, who had kept vigil by her side throughout the night.
She attempted to close her eyes once more, but the ward had become a hub of activity. Conversations filled the air, punctuated by the clatter of meal trays and the sporadic footsteps of doctors, nurses, and visiting families. All the noise made it impossible for her to sleep. After a few minutes of lying with her eyes shut, Winona sat up and began to slowly consume her breakfast porridge.
Throughout her two-day hospital stay prior to discharge, all her meals were thoughtfully prepared and delivered by Melissa.
"Melissa, you really don't need to go through all this trouble," Winona protested. "The hospital cafeteria staff come by at meal times to take orders. In this cold weather, you shouldn't be running back and forth."
"The food out there just doesn't compare to homemade meals," Melissa countered as she unpacked the lunchbox. "You can't be sure if they've washed the vegetables properly. These are fresh veggies I picked up from the market early this morning. Your stomach is delicate right now. Once you're home, I'll cook you a feast of your favorite dishes."
Winona was well aware of Melissa's true nature. Her doting was motivated by a desire to ingratiate Justin into the Bailey Group.
However, that was a promise Winona couldn't make. She wouldn't have even considered it had she not divorced Zachary Bailey.
"Melissa, I can't assist with what you're asking," Winona mused. "If Justin wishes to pursue his career in New York, he could stay with her for a while and then find a job at his own pace."
Melissa interrupted her thoughts, saying, "You're still in the hospital. Just focus on getting better now, and don't worry about anything else."
Her expression and demeanor was genuinely caring, as if she harbored no ulterior motives and only wished for Winona's speedy recovery.
Not wanting to burden Melissa further, Winona forced herself to leave the hospital after lunch, citing an urgent matter in New York. She insisted she needed to rush back after paying her respects at her grandfather's gravesite that afternoon.
Melissa called Isaac to pick her up. "Why the rush? Couldn't it wait a day or two?"
"Hmm, it's an emergency," Winona Sullivan replied.
Matthew Watson and Zachary Bailey also arrived. She had found their presence over the past two days bothersome and had strictly forbidden them from visiting the hospital.
Her grandfather's burial site was indeed secluded, requiring a 40-minute drive out of town.
The cemetery lay in a vast, barren field. Beyond her grandfather's grave, there was nothing but overgrown weeds.
Seeing the neglected state of the area, Winona's face fell in disappointment. However, it had been three years since her last visit, and she felt that she had no right to complain.
Zachary Bailey, standing by her side, also wore a deep frown.
Melissa's voice wavered with a nervous chuckle. "This area has been zoned by the Silverton municipality for cemeteries. It's somewhat secluded, and the old cemetery still had room, so this one hasn't been developed yet. In a few years, it won't appear so desolate. Your father’s spot, however, is prime real estate."
Winona Sullivan remained silent. She had come directly from the hospital, still clad in the slippers she wore during her visit. As she descended from the vehicle, the overgrown weeds swallowed her lower legs.
The terrain was uneven, concealed rocks lurking beneath the thick grass. She nearly twisted her ankle on several occasions.
Zachary Bailey and Matthew Watson extended their hands to steady her, one leading and one trailing.
Just as Matthew Watson’s fingertips were about to graze Winona Sullivan, Zachary Bailey swiftly swept her into his arms, bending down to cradle her in a bridal carry.
He shot a glance at Melissa, who returned a nervous smile in an attempt to appease him. “Didn’t anyone think to clear these weeds?” he asked, his voice laced with annoyance.
Melissa responded, “We’ll have them cleared soon.”
After a strenuous journey, the group finally arrived at Winona's grandfather's grave.
Winona's gaze fell upon the dust-covered gravestone and the dense weeds encircling it. Her eyes welled up with tears instantly.
Her grandfather, a man who reveled in his bustling social life back in New York—weekly gatherings with friends for sports and tea—now lay in a desolate place devoid of human presence. She could only imagine his loneliness.
Silently, Winona Sullivan studied the picture on the gravestone.
Sensing the somber atmosphere, Melissa and Isaac began pulling up weeds from the sides. Melissa had intended to have the site cleaned in the coming days. However, Winona's sudden illness and insistence on visiting the grave before her scheduled discharge had caught them off guard.
Winona’s voice was soft, filled with regret. "Grandpa, I'm so sorry, I came too late."
She hadn't anticipated the grave's condition, searching for a cloth to wipe away the dirt but finding nothing. She rummaged through her purse, only to find half a pack of tissues.
Zachary Bailey suggested, “Let's spend some time here and maybe consult a shaman to consider relocating grandpa's grave.”
Upon hearing about moving the grave, Melissa quickly interjected, “Oh, no, that won’t do. It's bad luck to move graves too frequently.”
She had employed the services of Silverton’s most renowned shaman. To lay the old man to rest here was to bring fortune and prosperity to their family. Relocating him would negate all those efforts.
Winona Sullivan's simmering anger erupted as she stepped out of the car, her gaze meeting Melissa's with a derisive sneer. "Why don't you summon that shaman of yours? I want to ask him how this barren place could attract wealth. If it's true, then why are you still pandering to everyone for your son's job? With all your wealth, why don't you just live the life of leisure at home instead of tolerating others' disrespect?"
Melissa, a generation older than Winona, struggled to maintain her dignity under such blatant disrespect, swallowing her pride for the sake of her son's future.
"Winona, your words are just too much," she retorted. "Consider the old tribal chiefs' burial sites; they were always in the remote wilderness. The more secluded, the better - that's the tradition in those rural areas."
Winona Sullivan was not to be placated. "Grandpa doesn't need to be patronized. I'll arrange for the relocation of his grave myself, and you don't need to worry about the cost."
If it hadn't been for her grandfather's dying wishes, she would have even considered moving the gravesite straight to New York.
Melissa's face flushed, her voice rising in refusal: "Impossible! Winona Sullivan, as someone married out, what right do you have to dictate matters of the Sullivan family? All my efforts these past days, looking after you, and not an ounce of gratitude in you!"
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